Media release: From the Salvation Army and the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand

The Salvation Army and the Problem Gambling Foundation are disappointed by the results of the latest ‘mystery shopper’ exercise conducted by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to assess host responsibility practice in pubs and clubs with pokie machines.

While the results show an overall improvement across the casino sector, the same can’t be said for pubs and clubs, with only 12 out of 120 non-club venues meeting the standard and none of the 22 clubs.

Lisa Campbell, National Operations Manager for the Salvation Army Oasis, says in seven years working with venues it has seen some improvement, but there are still many venues where significant improvement is required.

“For too long, people with gambling problems have been hidden and stigmatised making it difficult for them to acknowledge their own harmful gambling and get support. Venue staff need to understand their duty of care and support their patrons to get help.”

Of the venues situated in high deprivation and high spending areas, only 59 percent met the host responsibility standards.

“These are our struggling communities where there are high numbers of pokie machines and money coming out of the pockets of those who can least afford it,” she says.“This is where pokie venues need to be particularly vigilant with their host responsibility. Venues and pokie trusts need to be reminded that it is a legal requirement to minimise the risks of harmful gambling and staff are required to be trained in harmful gambling awareness.”

The DIA conducted the mystery shopper exercise in late 2016 to assess current host responsibility practice in class 4 venues (clubs and non-clubs) and casinos in relation to pokie machines.

​​Recent New Zealand research shows that family violence and abuse is common in people seeking help for their own or for someone else’s gambling.

The 454 participants in the study, which took place from June 2013 to March 2015, were clients of problem gambling treatment services (370 gamblers and 84 affected others; for example, partners, other family members and friends).

A broad definition of family violence was used in this study including physical violence, coercive control, psychological and emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.

Over the past 12 months, half (50%) of the participants were victims of abuse. The most common abuse for victims was verbal in nature (41%), followed by physical harm (9%), and sexual abuse (4%). Slightly less than half (44%) of the participants committed violence or abuse at least once.

​Problem Gambling Foundation chief executive, Paula Snowden, said the research confirmed that there is a strong correlation between family violence and harmful gambling.

“We know that it is common for violence to occur when a family is stressed because of someone’s gambling and this research confirms that,” she said.“Harmful gambling, where the need to gamble overrides all other considerations, can place families under enormous financial and emotional stress and put children at risk. In New Zealand over 50% of harmful gambling is on pokies and many of the machines are in the poorest communities. The machines offer false hope and when hope is dashed it is not surprising that the vulnerable suffer,” she said.

The research, entitled Problem gambling and family violence in help-seeking populations: co-occurrence, impact and coping was conducted by AUT’s Gambling and Addictions Research Centre and Interdisciplinary Trauma Research Centre in association with three national problem gambling treatment providers.

The research was funded by the Ministry of Health and can be viewed on its website.